Cathleen Allison/Nevada Appeal Micah Hand, 15, shoots over Shawn Easton, 16, during the new after-school program offered at the Carson City Community Center gym by the Parks and Recreation Department. The program is open daily for high school teenagers for a drop-in charge of $2.
Micah Hand and Shawn Easton no longer see their days come to a halt when Carson High School lets out.
The high school sophomores now go to the community center, at 851 E. William St., after school to play any kind of sport they want.
"It's worth (the $2) for as much as we do," said Micah, 15. "It's fun, and I get to hang out with my friends."
The Carson City Department of Parks and Recreation is offering a drop-in program, starting at 2:30 p.m. daily and continuing until 5 p.m. weekdays.
Shawn, 16, said he'll go there to shoot basketball and play dodgeball. When it's warmer, he plays golf after school, but now things have changed with the colder weather.
"I'd probably just go home and do homework and stuff otherwise," he said.
It's the first time the parks and recreation department has offered an after-school program for teenagers. Their programs typically range up to eighth-grade level.
"We're seeing a growing demand in our community to keep (teenage) kids busy from the 2 o'clock to 5 o'clock range for parents," said Joel Dunn, recreation manager.
Teens can start arriving at the community center gym about 2:30 p.m. By 3 p.m., they'll all decide what games to play and get started. Options during the winter include indoor soccer, floor hockey, Ultimate Frisbee, Whiffle ball, even dodgeball.
Dunn said it's hard to see students stop recreation programs just because they've outgrown the offerings.
"We get attached to the kids who grow up through the programs," Dunn said. "It's kind of difficult to see them move on to high school and not see them involved in the programs. Kids and parents are so used to being in this structured program, and they're jumping to ninth and 10th grades and looking for those same kinds of programs."
The cost of the drop-in program is $2 a day. The program started about a week ago, and there's still room for more high schoolers, both boys and girls.
"It's amazing that kids still want to play the things they did when they were kids," Dunn said. "And honestly, we're willing to adapt to any type of activities they want to play."
A liability release form has to be signed before students can play.
Shawn is looking forward to a lot of dodgeball.
"It's fun," he laughed. "It's a fun sport - throwing balls at people."
n Contact reporter Maggie O'Neill at moneill@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1219.
If You Go
What: Carson City Parks and Recreation Department's after-school
drop-in program
When: 2:30-5 p.m. weekdays
Where: Community Center, 851 E. William St.
Cost: $2 per day
For: High school-aged
children